Ranked, with the working shown

The best train tours in USA

15 trips in USA had enough verified data to score. The ranking below is fully mechanical; here is exactly how it works:

  • Rail share (35%): the percent of the trip actually on trains, from the itinerary.
  • Value (20%): price per day against the other trips on this page (cheaper per day scores higher).
  • Data completeness (25%): full day-by-day itinerary, imagery, inclusions, and verified price.
  • Departure breadth (20%): how many months the operator publishes departures for.
  1. 1
    The Great Alaska Beer Train

    Alaska Railroad

    65.7

    Round-trip beer-tasting train from Anchorage to Portage with Glacier BrewHouse

    Rail share
    100
    Value
    53
    Completeness
    80
    Departures
    0

    1 days · from $207 ($207/day)

  2. 2
    The HooDoo Choo Choo

    Alaska Railroad

    64.3

    Oktoberfest beer-tasting train from Fairbanks to Nenana with 5-course dinner

    Rail share
    100
    Value
    47
    Completeness
    80
    Departures
    0

    1 days · from $218 ($218/day)

  3. 3
    Denali in a Day

    Alaska Railroad

    60.3

    Guided one-day winter excursion from Fairbanks to Denali National Park

    Rail share
    100
    Value
    27
    Completeness
    80
    Departures
    0

    1 days · from $435 ($435/day)

  4. 4
    Grand Canyon Express

    Amtrak Vacations

    56.3

    One-way Chicago to Los Angeles rail trip via the Grand Canyon

    Rail share
    40
    Value
    87
    Completeness
    100
    Departures
    0

    10 days · from $1,549 ($155/day)

  5. 5
    Grand Canyon Discovery

    Amtrak Vacations

    54.2

    10-day rail trip from Chicago to Sedona via the Grand Canyon

    Rail share
    30
    Value
    93
    Completeness
    100
    Departures
    0

    10 days · from $1,429 ($143/day)

  6. 6
    Grand Canyon Explorer Roundtrip from Los Angeles

    Amtrak Vacations

    54.1

    Roundtrip Southwest rail trip from LA to the Grand Canyon and Sedona

    Rail share
    45
    Value
    67
    Completeness
    100
    Departures
    0

    11 days · from $1,809 ($164/day)

  7. 7
    Grand Canyon Discovery Roundtrip from Washington, D.C.

    Amtrak Vacations

    53

    13-day roundtrip rail journey from Washington, D.C. to the Grand Canyon

    Rail share
    38
    Value
    73
    Completeness
    100
    Departures
    0

    13 days · from $2,109 ($162/day)

  8. 8
    Grand Canyon Explorer Roundtrip from Chicago

    Amtrak Vacations

    52.8

    11-day roundtrip rail journey from Chicago to the Grand Canyon

    Rail share
    45
    Value
    60
    Completeness
    100
    Departures
    0

    11 days · from $1,989 ($181/day)

  9. 9
    Grand Canyon Explorer

    Amtrak Vacations

    52.6

    9-day one-way rail trip from Albuquerque to Flagstaff via the Grand Canyon

    Rail share
    33
    Value
    80
    Completeness
    100
    Departures
    0

    9 days · from $1,419 ($158/day)

  10. 10
    Just the Basics

    Alaska Railroad

    47.7

    No-frills 5-day Denali Star Train trip: Anchorage, Talkeetna, Denali

    Rail share
    60
    Value
    33
    Completeness
    80
    Departures
    0

    5 days · from $1,619 ($324/day)